


One Year Later...

by Qwenter



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-20 13:12:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14261724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qwenter/pseuds/Qwenter
Summary: It's the GPF finals again, and Yuuri's poised to win this year. Victor seems more distant than usual and Yuuri's been extremely busy recently, barely able to do anything about his relationship, as he is desperately trying to win this year.Will Yuuri win this year?Will Victor be alright?Will Yuuri and Victor actually get married?





	1. GPF Short Program - Yuuri’s PoV

**Author's Note:**

> AN : This story takes place almost exactly one year after the events of Yuuri on Ice. The Grand Prix Finals have rolled around again, and Yuuri is back with a vengeance and a need for gold. Note : This miiiiight be going down the lewd/NSFW path that many people like it to go down. I imagine this taking place in 2017, as it is a year after the anime. In 2017, the GPF was hosted in Marseille, France. This matters for probably one paragraph, but details are details. I don’t expect this story to be good, or to be viewed a whole lot. There are probably tons of problems with this, as this is honestly the first real fanfiction that I’ve bothered writing, but I’m really open to criticism, as long as it’s not just someone being a jerk. Huge thanks to Kaya4114 for being the best beta in the world, hope you don't mind me randomly posting this, and I hope you wanna keep working together! <3//

I hummed along to the music in my headphones, my body naturally flowed through the movements of my routine. My eyes remained closed as I began to twirl and step around the large warm-up room, letting my body follow the music. The floor shook beneath my feet, cheers erupting from the stands just a few feet above. I gave the slightest of smiles as I stopped, carefully pulling one earbud out of my ear. I turned towards the now-opened door. My skates clicked against each other as they hung over my shoulder, my sneakers almost silently thudding against the carpeted floor.

 

Cheers exploded as I entered the large rink. I remained silent as I took my seat on the long bench, leaning over to tie my skates. Victor stood before me, taking in the scene.

 

“There are more people here than last year.” The Russian’s voice seemed to cut through the loud cheers.

 

“I thought so too,” I replied, my fingers fumbling with the skates.

 

“Do you need help?” asked Victor.

 

“I’m fine, Victor. Just… Nervous.”

 

“Relax, Yuuri. You’ll be fine! You have a promise to keep, anyways.” Victor teased.

 

 _Of course... That damn promise._ My eyes naturally gravitated back towards the ring on my finger. I smiled slightly, lifting the gold band to my lips and kissing it once. I stood up, carefully adjusting the tight outfit, tugging the neck slightly. I carefully stepped onto the ice, taking in the scene for a moment before leaning back over the rink wall. I pulled Victor in for a deep embrace.

 

“If I win and get gold--” I blurted out quickly, my mind racing to speak.

 

“Yuuri, I know. You’ve worked so hard to get here. Go show them your love.” Victor smiled before pushing me off towards the center of the rink. “You better give it your everything.”

 

I skated to the center of the huge rink, bowing a few times to the audience around me, then to the judges. I waved my hands before preparing my mind for the performance. _Relax, Yuuri. You can do this… Relax…_ I forced my breathing to slow, feeling my chest rise and fall, lulling myself into a state of tranquility.

 

The first few chords of [ Shape of You ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK_NeRZOdq4) began playing, the smooth synth chords filling the arena. The loud cheers faded away into the background as I allowed my mind to wholly focus on my movements just measures away. As Ed Sheeran’s vocals enter the arena, my legs began to naturally dance along to the beat.

 

I pushed off with my right leg, my skates sliding across the ice as I entered directly into one of many step sequences to come. My mouth broke into a smile, my body flowing through the familiar movements. Every skip, turn and twizzle had hours of practice behind it. _Twizzle, turn, skip, don’t forget to look up. Remember what you were told about that banquet two years ago. Don’t worry about the technicality of your movements. Let yourself be embraced by the music._

 

 **_Me and my friends at the table doing shots/Drinking fast and then we talk slow_ ** _. How much champagne did I even drink that night? I probably finished a whole bottle by myself!_

 **_And you come over and start up a conversation with just me/And trust me, I’ll give it a chance now._ ** _Did Victor approach me or did I ask him to dance with me? Why would he even look at me?_

 

Every pair of eyes fixated on my skates as I executed each small trick. I knew what was coming up next. I bent my knees, winding up my arms before springing up into the air, preparing for a triple Lutz. I pulled my arms against my chest, letting my momentum carry my through the three rapid rotations.

 

A wave of cheers chorused through the arena as my right skate landed on the ground. The impact sent a wave of relief through my chest as I ended the jump, falling back into a short step sequence. The music seemed to carry my body along as I twisted once more, preparing my legs for another large jump. The song swelled, inching towards a bass drop. I had practiced this timing hundreds of times. Just milliseconds before the drop, I released the stored energy, launching myself into a massive jump.

 

I twisted myself in the air, forcing my body into the first quad of the performance. _One, two, three, four._ I let my leg swing out, completing the quad toe loop. The cheers swelled once more as the bass dropped. As the song calmed down, I let my mind wander once more.

 

 **_I’m in love with the shape of you/We push and pull like a magnet do._ ** _I could feel Victor’s arms around my shoulders that night. He dragged me along the dancefloor as if I weighed nothing._

 **_Although my heart is falling too/I’m in love with the shape of you._ ** _It was definitely then. That was the first time I really knew how I felt. It was the first time I was sure._

 

My movements seemed to flow together like never before, my combinations weren’t shortened, my large jumps kept all the distance they needed. Before I realized I had even started the performance, I was quickly approaching the final jump of the song.

 

My chest heaved as I lowered myself for one final jump. My body twisted before launching into the air. My arms crossed tightly against my chest as I forced myself to crank out one more perfect landing. _Just one more. Just one more time._

 

By the time I had landed, the crowd had already exploded. The final few moments were trivial compared to the massive jump I had landed. I launched myself into my final step sequence before striking my final pose, my hands out to the judges. I quietly skated over to the entrance before being pulled into Victor’s arms.

 

I let my body relax in the warmth of Victor’s arms, unable to contain the massive smile on my face. The two of us were quickly escorted along to the Kiss and Cry to await the scores. I nervously shifted my weight from one side to the other, before finally just letting myself curl up under Victor’s arm.

 

“How do you think I did? Do you think the judges liked it? What if they didn’t? Was the music choice good?” I questioned Victor.

 

“Your triple axel landed weakly, and your combinations seemed off, especially in the last half.” Victor shot back. As we waited for the scores, Victor began to fall back into his coaching mentality, letting himself ramble on. “You’ll lose a little bit for that misstep in the second step sequence. I’m sure they liked your jump. That last quad flip was really good though. Perfect execution. It would be impossible to give you below a 95.”

 

I just nodded along quietly, taking every word to heart. Victor’s voice continued on and on. Minutes passed, the entire arena in a quiet tension as every person watching awaited the scores. I could feel every breath from the audience.My heart pounded in my chest in anticipation, my leg bouncing up and down quickly.

 

As Victor and I sat in the Kiss and Cry, my mind just wandered back to training. A year ago, I had no idea if I was even going to try again. I had no idea if I was going to go for another season. _I can’t believe I almost retired._

 

Nine months ago, I couldn’t consistently nail some of my quad combinations, especially not in competition. _I can’t believe I almost quit._

 

Three months ago, I had no idea if I even wanted to go to the next qualifying tournament. _I can’t believe I almost gave up._

 

Even one month ago, I didn’t think I’d ever have a performance without some kind of slip up. _I hate myself for even thinking that._

 

 _It was all thanks to him… I didn’t quit because of him._ I broke into a wide smile, tugging the sleeves of my jacket down past my wrists, holding the him in my hand. I wiped the few remaining beads of sweat from my face. I carefully glanced over, looking up at Victor’s face. His eyes were focused on the screen just a few feet in front of us.

 

“Victor?” I asked quietly, carefully tugging on his jacket lightly, “Is everything okay?”

 

“What would be wrong?”

 

“You seem off about something. Did something happen?”

 

“Nothing happened, Yuuri. I just want to know how you did.”

 

“Victor, I’ve known you long enough to know when something is off! Just tell me what’s on your mi--”

 

“It’s nothing, Yuuri,” Victor said dismissively, his eyes not leaving the screen. “Nothing happened, so stop worrying.”

 

_What did I do? Did I mess something up? It couldn’t have been the skating. He was fine with the skating, but I know something’s on his mind. I’ve never heard him like that before… Maybe Chris has some idea of what’s on Victor’s mind. I can ask him at dinner.._

 

I was torn from my thinking by the loud squeal of the loudspeaker being turned back on. The booming voice of the announcer returned, announcing my score for the short program. “Yuuri Katsuki of Japan. Short Program - 97.32. First Place.”

 

Cheers exploded across the arena, shaking the whole Kiss and Cry. I raised my hands before bowing slightly to the crowd. Adjusting my jacket, I stepped out of the small boxed-off area and quietly headed back towards the warm-up rooms.

 

For the first time in over a year, I stepped out of the main rink alone, without Victor’s arm around my shoulders. I hadn’t felt this empty feeling in so long, long enough that I had forgotten about it. My heart sank down to the center of my core. I slumped myself over, laying down on the wooden bench in the changing room, staring at the sideways lockers. I laid still for a few minutes, thinking about what could have affected Victor so much.

 

I had barely begun to ponder the many questions I had when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I wrapped my legs around the wooden bench, using them to pull myself up into a seated position. I slowly pull the phone from my pocket. “(1) New Message from Chris.” The green notification seemed to stare at me. I dragged my finger across the screen, reading the message to myself.

 

_____

_____  
**Chris:** **  
** What time am I picking you up for dinner, _mon cheri_?

_____

**Yuuri:**

As soon as possible? I’m hungry..

_____

**Chris:**

You just got off the ice. Stretch and change. I’m at the arena anyways.

_____

**Yuuri:**

I already stretched and changed. I’m coming out now.

_____

_____

 

I stepped out of the changing room, pulling my backpack on. I slipped my earbuds in and let myself be taken away by the music. I quietly walked out into the main lobby, looking around for Chris. I tugged my jacket sleeves for a moment before stepping into the main entrance. Through the music, I heard someone calling my name. My head snapped to the side, looking for the source of the voice.

 

“Yuuri!” Chris’ voice rang through the lobby. I quickly turned and jogged over to the Swiss skater.

 

“Were you watching the competition, Chris? How did I do? Did I look good?”

 

“I could still see shades of Eros,” Chris chuckled lightly. “You looked really good today.”

 

I broke into a wide smile, always happy to receive a compliment. “So, where are we going for dinner?”


	2. The Hotel - Victor's PoV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor and Yuuri had a nice dinner planned out to help Yuuri celebrate after having such a good first skate, as well as to have some discussion about the next performance Yuuri has to nail.
> 
> What happens when Yuuri never shows up?
> 
> How pissed off is Victor going to be?
> 
> Where was Yuuri, anyways?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN : Another huge props to my beta/editor, Kaya4114, for being the best beta I could have ever asked for! <3 Honestly, this fic is going along a lot better than I thought it ever would, and I'm actually really looking forwards to how this story will end up going! I hope that anyone who reads this is actually enjoying what I write.//

My fingers flipped my phone through my hands quietly. I opened the messages app again, reading the various texts I had sent to Yuuri.

_____  
_____  
Victor :  
Hey Yuuri, where’d you disappear to when you left the arena?  
_____  
Victor :  
Are we still having dinner?  
_____  
Victor :  
Did you get lost?  
_____  
Victor :  
Yuuri? Are you still in the city?  
_____  
Victor :  
I’m walking back to the hotel. If you’re still here…  
_____  
Victor :  
Okay. You’re not here so, now I’m getting worried. Where are you?  
_____  
_____

I stared at the screen, just rereading the one-sided conversation over and over. Where did he go? I grumbled to myself, flopping onto my back on the bed. I placed my arm across my forehead, letting my eyes close.

I had barely shut my eyes when my phone began buzzing in my pocket. I dug the phone out of my pocket, reading the rapid lines of text running up my screen. “Oh, joy. Thousands of Instagram notifications… My favorite.” Grumbling to myself, I just glanced at each picture for a moment. I stopped on [ one image,](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/428047010520891392/428724393355640832/Story_pic.png) looking at it for an extra few seconds. “Oh. He’s- Oh.” I said quietly. My face grew hot, blood rushing into my cheeks. 

We had plans. I should have figured he would be with Chris... I mean... They spend so much time together recently. Every break, they’re just chatting away. Every time the skaters go to dinner, they’re chatting away. It’s almost as if… No. My Yuuri wouldn’t do something like that. They’re just good friends. I just wish he would have considered the plans we had.

Moments after the thought, I heard the door creak open. I debated confronting him about it, but at that point was too tired to bother. As the bedroom door opened up to reveal my missing skater, I glanced over at him with obvious irritation.

“You’re finally home I see. I hope you had fun.” I grumbled, too tired to yell. Is it even worth it to start this fight?

Yuuri looked at me for a moment, slightly confused before his face contorted into panicked guilt as realization dawned on him.

"Crap! I’m so sorry Victor. Chris and I just got caught up talking the other day and he asked me to lunch… and our dinner plans just completely slipped my mind. I would have remembered, but after my performance, something came up so he and I rescheduled and I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

 

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” I pulled the sheets over my body, curling up in the bed. “Go to sleep. You have to be up early tomorrow.”

“Victor, I’m really sorry! I messed up...”

“I said to go to sleep. As your coach, I have to be sure you get enough sleep, and you were late as it was. Change and go to sleep.” I turned away from the other bed, staring at the wall. I forced my eyes to close. 

This is the second time this week. I don’t know anymore. I know Yuuri and Chris are close but they’re always together these days. Am I not interesting enough anymore? Is he getting bored of me?

I had no idea what to do anymore. I pushed myself deeper under the covers, somewhat cuddling my pillow. My eyes just stared forwards at the wall. “I’m sorry...” I silently whispered to myself, hoping Yuuri couldn’t hear.

I didn’t sleep that night. There was no way I could. My mind continued to wander. Memory after memory, thinking back to our time together. I turned towards Yuuri’s sleeping body, letting my eyes rest upon his face. I leaned in slightly, just peering at him for a few moments silently. I slowly lowered my head down onto the pillow, just watching his chest rise and fall as he slept, watching his slight movements through the night.

I mean... My eyes glanced down at the golden ring around my finger. Yuuri wouldn’t have proposed to me if he didn’t want to be with me, right? I hold my hand up, letting the ring catch the moonlight streaming in through the window. Did he propose? He called them a good luck charm but... I mean... He did buy wedding rings, so I figured he wanted to propose... That’s why I told everyone we were engaged! Even though I was kidding, he didn’t say anything, so I went along with it... It’s not like I don’t want to marry him. I clenched my hand into a fist, squeezing tightly. I released my arm a moment later, letting the hand fall to my side. 

But does he want to marry me..? What if he doesn’t? I easily could have just misread him... The print was small, and Yuuri might have just picked some good looking rings that matched. Did I just turn the rings into what I wanted for us? He could have really meant for them to just be good luck charms.

… And… It’s not like Chris isn’t attractive, after all. He’s got this... Sexual presence around him too. Unlike Yuuri, he has always has it, on the ice and off. His performance of Intoxicated did help rocket him into almost winning bronze last year. If my dear Yuuri hadn’t been... wait... can I even... call him my Yuuri anymore? 

My mind began to race faster through its never-ending train of dark thoughts. The darkness of the room seeming to surround and engulf me along with them. No. I’m probably overthinking this. Maybe Yuuri really did just forget... I mean, I forget things all the time! And I consider Chris to be a good friend of mine! If he did have these feelings, wouldn’t he at least mention them? He’s told me about his feelings for other skaters before, and I would hope he knows that I have always been understanding in regards to how he feels. Yeah, I’m probably just overthinking all of this. I carefully laid my head down onto Yuuri’s steadily breathing chest. I guess I should get a couple hours of sleep... He’s so comfortable… 

It seemed to take hours, but I finally managed to pass out. It was only when my phone buzzed loudly, the alarm catapulting us into consciousness, that I realized just how late I had stayed up. I forced myself to rise, reluctantly lifting my head off of Yuuri’s pillow-like chest and heading for the shower. I turned the knob up to a comfortable temperature before stepping back to strip myself and then slipped my body into the shower, letting the water splash off my shoulders and run down my back. I reassured myself once more that I was simply overthinking the night before. Today’s practice had to be productive if we wanted to win this year, and I couldn’t have these negative thoughts affecting my opinion of Yuuri’s routine. If I wanted Yuuri to have a fair chance of winning, I had to be an effective coach. I couldn’t have negative thoughts constantly clouding my judgement. As my fingers ran through my hair, I recalled the competition the year prior.

Don’t worry, Yuuri. You’ve improved so much over this past year. You’ll definitely be taking home the gold this year! And then we can get married like we promised. Suddenly, the Instagram picture flashed across my mind again. I shook my head slightly, bringing my hand to my face. No, no. It was nothing. Just a misunderstanding. I’m sure of it now. This is going to work out. I promised that we could get married when you won gold. This will be the year, for sure!

I stepped out of the shower, carefully doing my best to not slip on the tile floor. Opening the bathroom door, my feet pattered across the tiles as I carefully pulled a towel off the rack and tied it around my waist. I stepped back out into the bedroom, flopping onto the bed. My eyes naturally gravitated to Yuuri. I chuckled to myself as I laid next to him, scooting myself towards his body.

“Yuuri, wake up. You have to warm up.” I shook his shoulder, whispering softly, trying to lull him from sleep. “You have to win today.”

I felt the bed shift as Yuuri slid over slightly. His body flopped and he just rolled onto his stomach. I chuckled to myself, leaning over and laying half my body on top of his back. I leaned over him, letting my chest rest against his upper back. Leaning in and quietly whispering into his ear, I said the one thing I knew would get his attention. “Yuuri... If you win today, you can eat tons of katsudon~”

I wrapped my arms around the smaller male, cuddling his body closely before starting to rock and shake the small boy. “Okay, seriously, we’re gonna be late. Our practice block is in an hour.” I stood up, tossing my towel aside. Turning, I stuck my head into our cabinet, beginning to sort through my clothes, holding up various articles and pairing them off. “Where’s my underwear..?”

By the time Yuuri had actually woken up, I had already begun my trek downstairs for breakfast. Most of the other skaters were already congregating around the dining tables, leaving a mediocre selection of food at the serving tables for anyone who showed up late. I quickly gathered a simple breakfast, before walking back to the dining section of the lobby, looking around at the mass of skaters, coaches, and fans. “Victor! Over here!” A familiar Swiss accent called through the cacophony of voices, instantly drawing my attention. See? Everything is alright... Chris just loves to be friendly to everyone! I jogged over, setting my plate down and taking a seat across the table from Chris.

There wasn’t too much of a selection by the time I had reached the simple buffet, so I had to make due with a couple slices of buttered bread, an apple, and a cup of tea. I picked up one of the slices of bread, biting into the thick crust as Chris made small talk with me “How’d you sleep, Victor?” I took a sip of tea to wash down the dry bread. “Not super well,” I replied, “I think the stress from working on my own routines while still coaching is more of a challenge than I originally anticipated.”

Chris chuckled lightly, downing the last of his tea. “I mean, you could just make your comeback already. We’re all waiting for it, after all.”

“I’m busy right now, Chris. I can’t really make a comeback in the middle of a season, although... I do have a routine in the works that I am sure will surprise everyone.” I tease, running my hand through my hair.

“A secret routine?” Chris prodded. “What song are you doing it to? Have you been practicing? When do you even get time to practice?”

“I mean, I guess you could call it a secret routine. For now, it’s mostly been in my head. I know that all the moves would work together. The only thing left is for me to actually try it out.”

“Does anyone know about it yet?” Chris asked. “Have you even told Yuuri yet?”

“No, not yet.” I chuckled slightly. “It’s never had to come up yet. He knows that I’m going to try to make a comeback. I’ve just never had the chance to tell him when. What about you? You’re not in the GPF this year. What are you doing here?”

“I might be injured but I can still watch the event, Victor. I already had the plane tickets, and it’s just so boring to watch from home. There were a few skaters I wanted to catch up with anyways.”

“I just didn’t think you’d want to be around when someone else won instead of you.” I teased, biting into the apple I had gotten. Just as I opened my mouth to continue speaking, Chris’s eyes lit up as he raised his hand in a wave, his attention turned from me to my sleepy student who was just entering the dining room now.

“YUURI! Hey!” Chris called across the dining room, waving his arms wildly. Yuuri gave a slight wave, picking up a plate and stepping into the buffet-style serving line. Chris yelled once more. “I saved you a plate, Yuuri!” Holding up a plate covered in food, Chris waved Yuuri over to the table. Yuuri had barely sat down before a large piece of bread was shoved into his mouth. “Hey, hey hey, let him breathe! I don’t need my skater dying right before a competition!” I joked. 

I noticed the plate Chris had saved for Yuuri, the thought mildly crossing my mind that he didn’t think to save any of the better items for myself. No. He was just caught up in conversation with me that he didn’t think to ask if I wanted anything. I had already grabbed myself some breakfast before sitting at the table, so it only would make sense that he would save the rest for Yuuri.

“So Chris, when did the doc---” 

“Yuuri! I simply can’t wait to see your long program tomorrow!! You have to promise me you will do your best out there.”

Chris’s voice cut me off mid sentence. Instead of repeating myself, I went quiet in mild annoyance. Yuuri flushed lightly before glancing at me and then replying.

“I will do my best, Chris. I do have the best coach in the world after all.”

Chris smiled warmly as Yuuri returned it, the light blush still mildly present as Yuuri’s eyes met mine in a shy smile.

See? Yuuri is confident in my coaching. Chris is just simply being a supportive friend. Since he can’t compete himself it only makes sense he would cheer on Yuuri. Besides J.J, Yuuri was the one who had nudged him off the podium last year. I really should stop overthinking this.

I was dragged back into reality by my phone buzzing in my pocket. I quickly pulled it out, reading the message on the screen. 

_____  
_____  
Yakov :  
The only time I have to practice tonight is after Yuri’s night practice.  
_____  
Victor :  
I don’t know what time Yuri practices, but it should be fine.  
_____  
Yakov :  
It ends around 10, usually.  
_____  
Victor :  
I can do a practice around then. I just need someone to watch me for my routine a few times.  
_____  
Yakov :  
If you’re serious about competing again, and only if you’re serious, I’ll help you.  
_____  
_____

I quickly tucked my phone back in my pocket, turning back towards Yuuri and Chris’ conversation. They had moved off of skating and began making dinner plans. I listened in for a few moments before finally speaking again. “Yuuri, it’s time to go. We only have the rink for an hour before it’s open to anyone.” Yuuri glanced towards me and nodded, still in mid conversation with Chris.

Pulling my jacket back over my arms, I stood up and picked up my plate. “You’d better not be late. Our practice starts in half an hour.” I stated, before jogging off to toss my plastic plate in the trash. I turned back to towards the two skaters, glancing one final look before walking outside quietly, my mind trying to focus on what we had to do today. Walking outside, I stepped onto the street. My sneakers softly clicked along the paved sidewalk as I walked the few blocks to the arena, pushing the door open. Yakov was lucky to have access to the rink before normal business hours. It allowed myself and the other professional skaters the opportunity to practice before the normal public came in for either lessons or for free skate. I walked past the front desk, keeping my head aimed down as I stepped into the massive rink. Sighing, my mind still lingered on my skater and his friend. As many times as I told myself that everything was alright, that little voice in the back of my mind liked to nag at me. I flicked up the switches on the wall, turning the lights on for the rink.

I quietly headed towards the locker rooms, opening my locker and pulling the familiar gold-bladed skates from my my bag. Sitting down on the long wooden bench, I slid my feet into the skates, feeling the familiar, satisfyingly snug fit, and began to tie my laces. Then, carefully, I walked my way over to the large rink, preparing my mind or my routine. I skated onto the rink, beginning to stretch my leg on the sidewall. I set my speaker down on the wall of the rink and, holding the tiny remote in my hand, skated to the center of the ice.

I clicked the small button on the remote, waiting patiently in my pose. The music began and I began my routine. My skates slid across the ice as I pushed myself off and quickly into my first jump. I wound my body up, twisting in preparation for the launch. Just in time with the music, I pushed my body up and began the rapid rotations. I haven’t done this in so long... It doesn’t even feel natural to do it myself anymore. I suppose that’s because I am used to watching and training Yuuri… Doing example jumps are one thing, however, I’m so... Not used to having songs to line up with.

I landed, my skates cutting into the ice cleanly as my body continued to maintain momentum. They kicked up ice as I slid along, skating forward. Before long, I was pushing myself into my very next jump. The first combination. I pushed myself off the ground, twisting into the air, landing before instantly pushing myself up again. There we go. Just the way that Yuuri would do it. I continued through my routine, twisting and turning, making massive jumps that few would ever attempt. I fell a few times, but that was part of the practice. 

I slid off the rink, sitting down on the bench again. Yuuri’s late… We only have 45 minutes left… Where is he? I massaged my shoulder softly, sighing. I looked over towards the door. “I swear, Katsuki Yuuri, if you aren’t here within the next 2 minutes…” Seriously, where is he?... .If he wants to win, he actually has to show up and practice. If he doesn’t care enough to try and be on time, then what’s the point of skating with me? Letting my mind wander, I undid my jacket, tossing it aside. I groaned to myself, standing up again, sliding myself back onto the ice.

By the time Yuuri actually did arrive, our solo practice slot was over. You’ve never been this late before. Where were you? There were still only a few people inside the rink, so we had the space to practice, but it would have been much easier if no one was there. The clapping and gawking from the few early birds who were watching was nice, but also quite distracting while trying not to accidentally skate into them while focusing on our routine. As time progressed, more and more people began to show up, making various aspects of Yuuri’s routine more difficult to go over. Feeling we had got in sufficient enough practice, I set my speaker back down on the wall of the rink, wiping my face with a towel, before tossing it to Yuuri. It was at this point, I felt I should ask, “So, do you want to tell me what was so important that you nearly missed practice? I told you we didn’t have much time...” I grumbled under my breath, looking at the shorter male before me. “Where were you? I waited half an hour for you to show up!”

“I was... Um... I got caught up talking to Chris. I know you said I didn’t have a lot of time, but he was talking about his injury and how it was only a few more weeks until he could skate again. He offered for us to come to Switzerland and see his hometown once the season is over. We just… kept talking, and by the time we finished, it was already 9:30.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, turning away for a moment. “Alright, alright… It seems like you want to practice on your own. I’m goi--”

“No, no! I really didn’t mean to be late! I’m sorry!” Yuuri burst out.

“If you really want my coaching, then you need to manage your time better. Your personal relationships have to become secondary to your practices.”

Yuuri looked up at me, his face red with guilt, before sending his eyes aiming back towards the ground. “I’m really sorry, Victor… I won’t be late again.”

I let my eyes rest on the top of Yuuri’s head, before beginning to skate off the ice. “Come along. You need to cooldown and stretch.” I stepped off the ice, sitting down on the wooden bench. Bending over, I began to unlace my skates. I tossed them into my bag. I pulled the bag over my shoulder, forcing myself to stand up.

There was a light clapping as I walked out into the main lobby, adjusting my jacket. I pulled the sleeves over my hands, jogging along quietly. The wind blew through my hair as I jogged down the street, looking for a restaurant for lunch.


End file.
